In young and aged mice, daily injection of the antibody REGN1033 at 10 mg/kg increases the size of skeletal muscle and the cross-sectional area of muscle fibers by a specific percentage, without changing the number or type of muscle fibers.
See the scientific wording
Chronic administration of the human monoclonal antibody REGN1033 at 10 mg/kg in young and aged mice increases skeletal muscle mass by 19–25% and muscle fiber cross-sectional area by 15.4%, without altering fiber number or type, demonstrating that specific myostatin inhibition induces hypertrophy in adult mice.
Correlational — new studies may shift this
Randomized trialsOne low-scoring study links this claim to the outcome, but causation is not established.
What the research says
1 study reviewedSupporting (1)
Randomized Controlled TrialAnimal2015
Scientists gave mice a special antibody that blocks a protein called myostatin, which normally stops muscles from growing. The mice’s muscles got bigger and thicker because each muscle fiber grew larger — not because they made more fibers or changed types.
Contradicting (0)
No contradicting studies found yet
That doesn't mean it's settled — it just means no study has tested the opposite.
Quality-weighted scoring: we follow the GRADE framework — each study is rated High, Moderate, Low, or Very Low based on study design, methodology rigor, and risk of bias. A single high-quality RCT can outweigh several weaker observational studies.
Scores reflect study quality, not just count.
A specific antibody blocks myostatin, a protein that normally stops muscles from growing. When myostatin is blocked, a signaling pathway inside muscle cells shuts down, which allows the cells to make more muscle proteins and break down fewer of them. This causes individual muscle fibers to get thicker, increasing overall muscle size and strength without adding more fibers or changing their type.
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting study
How Fit Body Science checks a claim
- 1
We isolate the claim
Health advice from videos, articles and studies is broken down into single, testable claims.
- 2
We find the research
Each claim is matched against peer-reviewed studies, with every source cited by DOI.
- 3
We grade the evidence
Studies are scored on methodology, statistical rigor, transparency and publication quality.
The fitness and health internet is full of confident claims. We check them against real research.
Every claim on this site is traced back to peer-reviewed studies, scored on methodology and reporting quality, and given a verdict you can audit yourself — sources, DOIs and all.
- Full evidence breakdown and mechanism chains
- Ask our AI anything about a claim or its studies
- Get notified when new research changes a verdict
In young and aged mice, daily injection of the antibody REGN1033 at 10 mg/kg increases the size of skeletal muscle and the cross-sectional area of muscle fibers by a specific percentage, without changing the number or type of muscle fibers.
Mechanism
1 studyA targeted antibody disables a natural brake on muscle growth called myostatin. When this brake is released, muscle cells build more protein and break down less, causing each muscle fiber to thicken. This makes the whole muscle bigger and stronger without creating new fibers or changing their kind.
A specific antibody blocks myostatin, a protein that normally stops muscles from growing. When myostatin is blocked, a signaling pathway inside muscle cells shuts down, which allows the cells to make more muscle proteins and break down fewer of them. This causes individual muscle fibers to get thicker, increasing overall muscle size and strength without adding more fibers or changing their type.
A monoclonal antibody binds to myostatin in circulation, including its mature, latent, and precursor forms, preventing it from interacting with its receptor ActRIIB
Inhibition of ActRIIB activation prevents phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of Smad2 and Smad3 proteins
Reduced Smad2/3 signaling de-represses transcriptional programs that increase muscle protein synthesis and suppress expression of atrophy-related ubiquitin ligases
Net increase in muscle protein accretion leads to enlargement of individual muscle fibers without changes in fiber number or type
Increased fiber cross-sectional area results in greater total muscle mass and force production
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Community contributions welcome
Myostatin blockade with a fully human monoclonal antibody induces muscle hypertrophy and reverses muscle atrophy in young and aged mice
Scientists gave mice a special antibody that blocks a protein called myostatin, which normally stops muscles from growing. The mice’s muscles got bigger and thicker because each muscle fiber grew larger — not because they made more fibers or changed types.
Contradicting (0)
Community contributions welcome
Score Breakdown
No multi-axis breakdown available yet. The overall Pro / Against score above is the best signal.
- No clinical evidence is available; the score reflects mechanistic plausibility only.
What Would Prove This
Per GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this claim, ordered from strongest to weakest.
Systematic Review of Myostatin Inhibition via Monoclonal Antibodies on Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy in Murine Models
Population: Young and aged mice; Intervention: Chronic REGN1033 at 10 mg/kg; Comparator: Placebo or isotype control; Outcome: Skeletal muscle mass, fiber cross-sectional area, fiber number and type; Duration: Chronic administration period matching original study
Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of REGN1033 at 10 mg/kg in Young and Aged Mice for Muscle Hypertrophy
Population: Young and aged mice; Intervention: REGN1033 at 10 mg/kg; Comparator: Isotype control antibody or saline; Outcome: Muscle mass, fiber cross-sectional area, fiber number and type; Duration: Chronic administration period
Longitudinal Cohort Study of Muscle Changes in Mice Treated with REGN1033 at 10 mg/kg Over Time
Population: Young and aged mice; Intervention: REGN1033 at 10 mg/kg; Comparator: Untreated controls; Outcome: Muscle mass and fiber cross-sectional area measured at multiple time points; Duration: Extended chronic exposure
Single-Center Animal Study Assessing REGN1033-Induced Muscle Hypertrophy and Fiber Characteristics in Mice
Population: Young and aged mice; Intervention: REGN1033 at 10 mg/kg; Comparator: Vehicle control; Outcome: Muscle mass, fiber cross-sectional area, fiber number and type; Duration: Chronic administration
In Vitro Analysis of Myostatin Inhibition by REGN1033 on Murine Skeletal Muscle Cell Hypertrophy
Population: Primary murine skeletal muscle cells; Intervention: REGN1033 at 10 mg/kg equivalent concentration; Comparator: Control antibody or buffer; Outcome: Myotube diameter, protein synthesis rate, myostatin pathway markers; Duration: 72–96 hours